PC postageTM service indicia design for shipping label

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of insuring payment of a proper amount of postage, comprise receiving payment for an amount of postage, affixing a postage indicia to a piece of mail, wherein the postage indicia includes the postage amount in a format readable only by machine, and adjusting the postage amount at a time subsequent to receipt of payment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) ofProvisional Application No. 60/399,251, filed Jul. 29, 2002, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. This applicationis related to an application entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORMID-STREAM POSTAGE ADJUSTMENT,” bearing attorney docket number08049.0923, filed on the same date as the present application, thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to a method of preventing fraud,misuse, abuse and reuse of postage by utilizing a uniquely designedpostage indicia for a shipping label.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The United States Postal Service (“USPS”), unlike privateshipping companies, is required by law to receive payment for postage inadvance of mailing of the piece of mail. For this reason, the USPS mustclosely monitor the payment of postage and the corresponding use of thepostage labels, such as stamps. In the past, the postage must beaccurately computed prior to producing a postage label or stamp, andaffixing it the mailpiece. Often, this meant purchasing the postagelabel at a U.S. Post Office, or maintaining a strictly monitored postagemeter, capable of dispensing the appropriate postage.

[0004] With the development of Internet technology, the U.S. PostalService (USPS) has introduced many new products for the convenience ofpostal customers. One such product is known as PC Postage™ whereby onecan purchase postage over the internet using a computer. One can alsouse it for most of one's mailing needs: First-Class Mail service,Express Mail® service, Priority Mail service, parcels, InternationalMail, and payment for special services like Delivery Confirmation™ etc.In this process the postal customer goes online to the USPS web page andmakes an online shipping label transaction. The customer enters the typeof mailing, recipient's address, sender's address and the requisitepayment, which is conducted as a credit card transaction or may be acharge against the customer's deposit account with the USPS. A label isprinted with this information and affixed to the mailing.

[0005] However, when using these or other methodologies, if the postageamount was improperly computed prior to purchase, the USPS must returnthe mail to the sender for improper postage. In addition, unless thepostage was paid for at a US Post Office, and affixed by a USPSemployee, the risk arose that a postage label may be duplicated and usedmore than once, providing shippers with unauthorized use of the mailsystem.

[0006] Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a uniquelabel and postage indicia design to prevent this type of fraud. It isalso an object of this invention to keep track of all mailingtransactions and to reconcile the accounts and collect statistical dataon the mailings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In accordance with the invention, systems and methods of insuringpayment of a proper amount of postage, comprise receiving payment for anamount of postage, affixing a postage indicia to a piece of mail,wherein the postage indicia includes the postage amount in a formatreadable only by machine, and adjusting the postage amount at a timesubsequent to

[0008] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be setforth in part in the description which follows, and in part will beobvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of theinvention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realizedand attained by means of the elements and combinations particularlypointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention,as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodimentsof the invention and together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0010]FIG. 1 is a flowchart describing the process used by a sender toobtain postage, in accordance with the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a stealth postage indicia;

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a postage indicia design with postage shown; and

[0013]FIG. 4 shows a complete mailing label, including postage indiciadesign using uncoded postage;

[0014]FIG. 5 shows an alternative form of the mailing label includingcoded postage;

[0015]FIG. 6 shows a another alternative form of the mailing labelincluding coded postage;

[0016]FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the process used by a shipper systemto verify the postage paid on a postage label; and

[0017]FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the process used by a shipper systemto verify the postage indicia on a piece of mail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodimentsof the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0019]FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing method 100 performed by a sender(user) to pay a shipper for and receive postage for a mailpiece. Whileit is preferable that the mailing company (shipper system) is the USPS,this method may similarly be utilized to pay for the transport of apackage by any public or private mail or shipping company.

[0020] While method 100 may be carried out by an individual at a sendingcompany's facility, such sender would likely have knowledgeable staffand equipment that would accurately determine the postage amount andprevent postage fraud, rendering the present system less necessary. Itis therefore preferable that method 100 be implemented on an electricaldevice, such as a personal computer, capable of performing the describedsteps. The instructions for carrying out method 100 may be implementedas a software package installed on a personal computer capable ofconnecting to and transmitting information to, or receiving informationfrom, the USPS. Alternatively, one or more steps of method 100 may beimplemented by hardware, such as by a processor containing instructionsfor carrying out the method.

[0021] Alternatively, method 100 may be implemented as a website. Forexample, the USPS has developed a transactional web site that allowscustomers to print shipping labels online for domestic Express Mail (EM)and Priority Mail (PM), and Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) and GlobalExpress Mail (GEM). For ease of discussion, the present descriptiondiscussion will describe method 100 implemented using a website.

[0022] Method 100 begins when a person desiring to send a piece of mail(“sender”) accesses the shipper's web site (block 102) (i.e. the USPSweb site). In block 104, the postage amount necessary for delivery ofthe package or mailpiece is then estimated. In one implementation, thewebsite will contain a form for the purpose of receiving sufficientinformation about the mailpiece for the system to calculate the postage.For example, the web page may contain “radio buttons” or input fieldsfor the sender to input the weight, shipping class, destinationinformation, sender information, or other information necessary for aninitial determination of the postage amount. It is important torecognize that the information inputted by the sender, and the estimatedamount of postage not be 100% accurate, for reasons described below.Instead, the sender may make his or her best guess as to the weight ofthe parcel (or other information). For the same reason, no specializedhardware is necessary at the sender's location, since accuracy at thispoint in the process is not a necessity. In another embodiment, thewebpage may simply present a list of possible postal rates and allow thesender to select the most appropriate (though not necessarily correct)postal rate.

[0023] Once the amount has been estimated, the sender then pays theestimated amount to the shipper (block 106). The sender may accomplishpayment of the postage by credit card payment or application of fundsfrom a deposit account with the shipper.

[0024] U.S. laws and regulations require mail handled by the USPS toprovide evidence of prepaid postage on each package. Therefore, once thesender has accomplished payment of the postage, the system then producesa postage indicia (block 108), which the sender may affix to themailpiece.

[0025] In one embodiment, the software or website will produce thepostage indicia by producing a machine-readable representation ofinformation associated with the mailpiece (“postage information”). Forexample, the software will combine the postage paid, the rate category,a device identification (identifying the device that printed the postageindicia), the licensing code, the sending zip code (or address), thedestination zip code (or address), the software identification, theascending and descending registers, the digital signature algorithm, thedate of mailing, and the delivery confirmation code (a unique numberassigned to the mailpiece for identification purposes). One of ordinaryskill in the art will recognize that one or more pieces of informationmay be excluded in some circumstances (for example, the ascending anddescending registers may be unnecessary in a case where the sender isnot using a prepaid postage meter to print the postage indicia). Inaddition, a unique postage number may be assigned and included as anidentification of the postage, for use in preventing duplication of thepostage. This information may then be digitally signed using any nowknown or later developed digital signature algorithm, and the signaturemay be included as part of the postage information.

[0026] For example, a Shipping Shares Services (SSS) Applicationsoftware application, sends label with postage indicia information to abrowser for printing. The label includes a unique delivery confirmationnumber embedded within a barcode, the sender and recipient's addressinformation, the class of mail, the special service, and the postageindicia. The postage indicia contains the mailing date, the postageamount or indication of postage payment, the ZIP Code™ mailed from, anidentifying licensing number, and the corresponding deliveryconfirmation number at the top of the indicia.

[0027] Once the postage indicia has been produced, it may be printed onthe mailpiece (or on a label for affixing to the mailpiece). While thelabel may be printed using specialized equipment such as a prepaidpostage meter, or a secure printer with means for preventing duplication(such as a printer that uses proprietary ink to prevent unauthorizedduplication), it may also be printed using any unsecured printer orother printing device associated with the sender's (or shipper's)computer. However, as further discussed below, when printing on anunsecured printer, the unique postage number assigned to the postageindicia becomes necessary to prevent unauthorized duplication of thepostage indicia.

[0028] In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the printed postage indiciawill take the form of a “stealth postage” indicia 200, that is, thepostage indicia will include the postage information represented only inmachine readable format such as a two dimensional bar code 202 (the barcode may alternatively be implemented as a one-dimensional bar code-notshown). In this embodiment, the postage amount will not be printed onthe postage indicia in a human readable form, but may instead include anotation 204 that the postage has been paid. In addition, informationcontained in the stealth indicia 200 may include the date of mailing206, a unique delivery confirmation number 208 (to identify themailpiece), and a unique postage number 210 (to prevent the postageindicia from being separated from the mailpiece), and possibly otheridentifying information. FIG. 3 shows an alternative version of thepostage indicia 300, in which the postage amount 302 is printed on theindicia in a human readable format.

[0029] Referring now to FIG. 4, the postage indicia may alternatively beprinted as part of mailing label 400 including postage indicia 300 (orstealth indicia, not shown), a destination address 402, a return address404, and another representation of the unique article number 406 (shownin both human readable and machine readable, i.e. barcode, forms).

[0030]FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternative mailing labels for use with thepresent invention. The mailing label may also include other proprietaryinformation required for proper processing by a shipper system. Forexample, a label printed for use by the USPS may include a FIM code (notshown, used for orientation of the mailpiece by USPS equipment) and aPOSTNET code (502, FIG. 5).

[0031] Returning to FIG. 1, once the postage indicia has been produced,the sender affixes it to the mailpiece (block 110) and mails themailpiece (block 112), such as by delivery to a US Post Office or otherfacility of the shipper.

[0032] Upon delivery of the mailpiece into the mail stream, the mailingsystem may also employ process 700, FIG. 7 to verify that the correctamount of postage has been paid, and/or process 800, FIG. 8, to verifythat the postage indicia has not been improperly duplicated. Theseprocesses may be performed in addition to its standard operatingprocedures for routing, administering, and delivering mailpieces.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, process 700 is performed by the shipper toinsure that the proper amount of postage has been paid. Because of theregulations governing the USPS requiring prepayment of postage, it ispreferable that process 700 be performed prior to routing and deliveryof the mailpiece. However, for private shipping companies the processmay alternatively be carried out at any time. Process 700 begins byscanning the mailing label to read the postage amount previously paid bythe sender (block 702). The shipping company then calculates the actualamount of postage due for delivery of the mailpiece (block 704). Theshipper may calculate this using any known means, including weighing thepackage, determining the rate category and zone, and consulting theshipper's rate schedule. The shipper then compares the amount paid withthe actual amount to verify (decision 706) that the appropriate amounthas been paid. If so, the shipper processes the mail according to itsstandard procedures (block 708). If not, the shipper proceeds to bill(or refund) the sender for the difference (the adjusted postage value)(block 710).

[0034] In one embodiment, the billing (or refunding) of the adjustedpostage value may be charged to a credit card (such as the one used topay the initial postage amount) or deducted from a deposit account. Toaccount for the adjusted amount and appropriately track who to bill, theshipper system may maintain a database which it updates with each newpurchase of postage by storing the billing information together with theunique delivery confirmation number and/or the unique postage number. Inthis way, the unique identification of the mailpiece is permanentlyassociated with the sender's billing information. Alternatively, thebilling information may be encrypted and embedded in the two-dimensionalbar code on the postage indicia together with the parcel information.Once the sender has been appropriately billed, the parcel may then bedelivered (block 708), in compliance with regulations governing theUSPS.

[0035]FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the process performed by theshipper system to prevent postage fraud. The process begins at the pointof purchase of the postage online. As the sender purchases the postage,the shipper updates a postage database by storing at least the uniquepostage number and the unique delivery confirmation number (block 802).Once the delivery confirmation number barcode and postage number arescanned (block 804), the shipper can then verify (decision 806), againstits database, that the postage label is being used with the mailpiecefor which it was intended. If a match is not determined, then the use ofthe postage label on the present mailpiece is unauthorized, and themailpiece is not delivered (block 808). If, however, at decision 806, amatch is found, then the postage label is being used for the parcel forwhich it was produced, and the mail may be delivered (block 810).

[0036] In an alternative embodiment, the block 802 may not be performed.Instead, as each new parcel is entered into the mail system, the postagelabel may be scanned and the information encoded therein may be enteredinto a new record in the database. Similarly, as each new parcel isscanned the unique parcel number and postage number may be comparedagainst all other parcel numbers and postage numbers already in thedatabase to prevent unauthorized duplication of the postage indicia. Oneof ordinary skill in the art will recognize that it is preferable toperform this scan and check as late in the delivery process as possibleto prevent bypass of the system. For this purpose, the shipper systemmay employ portable scanners, capable of communication with the shippersystem database, to scan the items as they are delivered to their finaldestination.

[0037] By these methods, the inclusion of the unique article number inthe indicia design prevents the main portion of the label from beingseparated from the postage indicia. The unique article number designalso prevents a person from reusing, copying or tampering with a label.The indication that postage was paid online (stealth postage) in placeof the postage actually paid for the mailpiece allows for adjustments ofpostage as necessary and provides shippers with the ability to notdisclose the postage amount to customers.

[0038] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practiceof the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specificationand examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope andspirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for paying a proper amount of postagecomprising: estimating a postage amount necessary to send a piece ofmail; prepaying for the estimated postage amount; affixing to amailpiece a postage indicia comprising an indication, readable bymachine only, of the estimated postate amount; mailing the mailpiece;and paying an adjusted postage amount, subsequent to the mailing of themailpiece, in response to a bill.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinprepaying the estimated postage amount comprises prepaying the estimatedpostage via the Internet.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprises digitallysigning a postage amount, an addressee information, a senderinformation, and a date, and printing the digital signature, the postageamount, the addressee information, the sender information, and the dateon the postage indicia in a machine readable format.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the machine readable format is a bar code.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the bar code is a 2-dimensional bar code. 6.The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that the postageindicia has not previously been used on a second mailpiece.
 7. A methodof adjusting an amount of prepaid postage on a mailpiece, wherein themailpiece comprises a postage indicia including an indication of aninitial postage amount, comprising: receiving a payment for the initialpostage amount; receiving the mailpiece, wherein the postage indiciacomprises the initial postage amount in only a machine readable format;verifying that the initial postage amount is the proper amount; billinga party for an adjusted postage amount, if the initial postage amount isnot verified; and altering the postage indicia to reflect the adjustedpostage amount, once the party has been billed for the adjusted amount.8. The method of claim 7, wherein the payment for initial postage amountis received via the Internet.
 9. A system for coding a postage amountonto a mailing label, comprising means for receiving payment for apostage amount; a printer for producing a postage indicia, wherein thepostage indicia includes the postage amount in a format readable only bymachine; and accounting means for adjusting the postage amount at a timesubsequent to receipt of payment.
 10. The system of claim 9, furtherincluding a printer for printing the adjusted postage amount on thepostage indicia in a format readable only by machine.
 11. A system forpreventing postage fraud comprising: means for receiving an estimatedpostage amount necessary to send a parcel; a printer for electronicallyprepaying the estimated postage amount; mean for outputting a postageindicia comprising a stealth postage for the amount prepaid; means forelectronically paying for an adjusted amount of postage subsequent tothe mailing of the mailpiece.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein themeans for electronically prepaying comprises an Internet paymentservice.
 13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a printer forprinting the postage indicia.
 14. The system of claim 11, furthercomprising a processor for encoding the stealth indicia by digitallysigning a postage amount, an addressee information, a senderinformation, and a date.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the machinereadable format is a bar code.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein thebar code is a 2-dimensional bar code.
 17. The system of claim 11,further comprising means for verifying that the postage indicia has notpreviously been used on a second mailpiece.
 18. A system for adjustingan amount of prepaid postage on a mailpiece, comprising: means forreceiving a payment for an initial postage amount; means for receiving amailpiece, comprising a postage indicia, wherein the postage indiciacomprises the initial postage amount in only a machine readable format;means for verifying that the initial postage amount is the properamount; means for billing a party for an adjusted postage amount, if theinitial postage amount is determined to be proper; and means foraltering the postage indicia to reflect the adjusted postage amount,once the party has been billed for the adjusted amount.
 19. The systemof claim 18, wherein the payment for initial postage amount is receivedvia the Internet.
 20. A computer-implemented method for adjustingpostage on a mailpiece, comprising: estimating an amount of postagenecessary for a mailpiece; transmitting payment information; printing apostage label including a postage amount represented only in anelectronically readable format and a verification information allowing amailing system to subsequently adjust the mailing amount.
 21. Thecomputer implemented method of claim 20, further comprising creating thepostage label by producing a bar code containing a date, the postageamount, an addressee information, a sender information, and a digitalsignature.
 22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein barcode further comprises a number unique to the postage indicia.
 23. Thecomputer implemented method of claim 21, wherein the bar code is a twodimensional bar code.
 24. A computer-readable medium containinginstructions for implementing a method for adjusting postage on amailpiece, the method comprising: estimating a postage amount necessaryfor a mailpiece; transmitting payment information; printing a postagelabel including a postage amount represented only in an electronicallyreadable format and a verification information allowing a mailing systemto subsequently adjust the mailing amount.
 25. The computer-readablemedium of claim 24, further comprising creating the postage label byproducing a bar code containing a date, the postage amount, an addresseeinformation, a sender information, and a digital signature.
 26. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein bar code further comprisesa number unique to the postage indicia.
 27. The computer-readable mediumof claim 25, wherein the bar code is a two dimensional bar code.
 28. Asystem for preventing postage fraud comprising: a mailpiece including astealth postage indicia comprising a unique parcel number and a uniquepostage number; a scanner for reading the unique parcel number and theunique postage number; and a database in communication with the scanner,for verifying that the unique parcel number and the unique postagenumber are assigned to each other.
 29. The system of claim 28, whereinthe system further includes an electronic interface for transmitting thepostage indicia to a user.
 30. The system of claim 29, wherein theelectronic interface is the Internet.
 31. The system of claim 28,wherein the database further verifies that the unique postage number hasnot been used on a second mailpiece.
 32. The system of claim 29, whereinthe electronic interface is in communication with the database suchthat, upon purchase of the postage indicia by the sender, the databaseis updated with a record for the new postage indicia.
 33. The system ofclaim 29, wherein the unique parcel number and postage number arecompared to an parcel number and postage number retrieved from a newmail parcel that enters a shipper's system.
 34. The system of claim 29,wherein the database is further updated with a new record for a newparcel scanned in by the scanner, wherein the new record comprises aunique parcel number and a unique postage number.
 35. The system ofclaim 29, wherein the scanner is a portable scanner.
 36. A system forverifying the proper postage on a mailpiece, comprising: a mailpieceincluding a stealth postage indicia comprising a postage amountrepresented in a format not readable by humans; a scanner for readingthe postage amount; a scale for weighing the mailpiece and determiningthe proper postage for the mailpiece; and a billing interface incommunication with the scanner and the scale for verifying that thepostage paid is the proper amount, and, if not, receiving payment for anadjusted amount.
 37. The system of claim 36, further comprising anelectronic interface for transmitting the stealth indicia to a user, andfor receiving payment for the postage from the user.
 38. The system ofclaim 37, wherein the electronic interface is the Internet.
 39. A methodof coding an amount of postage onto a mailing label whereby the postageamount can be read only by machine, and wherein the coded postage amountcan be adjusted by the shipper system after acceptance of the mailpiecefrom the sender.
 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the postage amountis represented in a bar code.
 41. The method of claim 39, wherein themailing label further comprises at least two unique numbers forpreventing the unauthorized use of the postage label.
 42. A method ofdispensing fraud protected postage via the internet, comprising:receiving an estimated weight for a parcel from a sender via a web page;receiving payment from the sender for an initial postage amount for theparcel; transmitting instructions to a user's computer for producing astealth postage indicia, comprising at least two unique numbers, andwherein the stealth postage indicia represents the postage in only amachine readable form; and verifying a postage label for a mailpiece byverifying the two unique numbers.
 43. The method of claim 42, furthercomprising verifying that the initial postage was the correct amount.44. The method of claim 43, further comprising billing the sender for anadjusted amount if the initial postage amount was not correct.